All these modern-day kids have iPad and iPod touch apps to learn the alphabet. My kindergarten class had a box of these Alphabet Robots for our grimey, snot-ridden hands to play with. With just one or two minor adjustments, a letter of the alphabet suddenly transformed into an adorable little robot creature. This was awesome. It made learning fun.

Each letter had its own unique characteristics, and consequently, I invented a different personality for each one. There's one thing these toys can do that apps can't: be a friend. Apps will never be your friend. AlphaBOTS can and will be. I was overjoyed to see that they can STILL be purchased 20 years after I first played with them as a kid, and haven't changed one bit. I might just buy them right now so my future children can play with them.